A couple of weeks ago I asked a simple question regarding new ideas on how the folks who enter a float for Rotary might raise the money to pay for the float. This started with a cogent description of how important their effort is in creating brand awareness and a positive public image for Rotary, but received many interesting responses that seemed off the topic. Upon reflection on those responses it seems many who responded understood the situation better than I did.
There were many shared stories about the fun and fellowship many of us have experienced in decorating the float over the years. I guess when you grow up around the annual parade on New Year’s day it is easy to forget what a festive occasion it really is and you never really grow jaundiced of the smell of those floats as they journey down Colorado Boulevard; it really is a shame that smell doesn’t come through the television airwaves.
One idea that has evolved from all of these ideas seems so sensible you have to wonder why I didn’t think of it years ago. That would be the idea of creating a Rotary Fellowship for Rotarians who Love the Rose Float. Every year we have a couple thousand Rotarians and members of Interact journey to Pasadena to decorate the float, in fact the sign up for that opportunity started just a week ago and will be filled within a month. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to have a fellowship for those people?
Every year we have hundreds, if not thousands, of Rotarians who attend the parade and come through the decorating site to say hello and express their personal pride in that giant floral arrangement. They come from all over the world and many of them buy grandstand seats to watch the parade. Wouldn’t it be a great idea for our fellowship to arrange a block of grandstand seats where all of the Rotarians can enjoy each other in true Rotary fellowship,
Almost every year the president of Rotary International attends the Rose Parade and a part of that annual visit is a dinner hosted by the Rotary Rose Float Committee. It is a busy time of year in Pasadena, but what if there was a reception for all the members of our new fellowship. What a great opportunity that would be for fun and fellowship.
What if the Rotary Rose Float Committee allowed for the sale of opportunity vouchers to all those new members of our fellowship with the winners riding the float past all of those television cameras? If the opportunity voucher drawn is mine one of my very beautiful granddaughters would be among the float riders; now that would be fun.
A Fellowship for Rotarians who Love the Rose Float should have a website and send weekly, or monthly, updates of what is happening with the float and fellowship. What do you think of this idea? I would volunteer to act as the catalyst to make it happen, but I need help from Rotarians in at least three countries to qualify the Fellowship for Rotarians who Love the Rose Float with Rotary International. More information is available at the proposed fellowship website. If you are interested please leave your name on the sign up page. No dues or cost are involved.